How to Adjust a Pattern for a Different Guage

 From AnnBuddKnits

After my washed, blocked, and dried swatch hung with weights for a day, the gauge measures 27 stitches and 39 rounds = 4″.

That translates to 6.75 stitches and 9.75 rounds = 1″.

The gauge for the sweater is listed at 6 sts/inch (page 93 of The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters). I like the density of my swatch and wouldn’t want to change to larger needles (and a looser fabric) to match that in the pattern. Instead, I want to see if I can follow the instructions for a larger size and end up with the size I want.

I’d like a bust circumference of 40″, which means I need 40″ x 6.75 sts/in = 270 stitches just below the armhole. The total number of body stitches are given on page 96, at the end of the heading “Divide for Body and Sleeves. The largest size has 276 stitches, which would translate to a bust circumference of 40.9″ at my gauge. The second-to-largest size has 252 stitches, which would translate to a bust circumference of 37.3″. Neither of these is exactly what I want, but the largest size is closest.

I’ve decided to follow the instructions for the largest size for all stitch counts, but because I’d rather err on the smaller size, I think I’ll omit the last raglan increase so that I’ll end up with 268 stitches for the body. That will give a bust circumference of 39.7”.

I’ll count rows rather than simply measure vertical distances to make sure that the lengths will reflect the after-hanging row gauge.

It’s time to cast on!

Placement of Increases and Decreases

Calculating a Change in Guage

 From AnnBuddKnits.

Use this equation to adapt a pattern written for one gauge to another gauge. It is best worked when there is less that
2 stitches/inch difference between the two gauges.

For example, if a pattern calls for worsted-weight yarn at a gauge of 5 stitches to the inch and you want to adapt it for sportweight yarn at a gauge of 6.5 stitches to the inch. Let’s say that the pattern calls for casting on 98 stitches. How many stitches would you cast on to produce a piece the same width at your tighter gauge of 6.5 stitches to the inch?

1. The answer lies in a simple relationship of ratios: #ofstsinpatt = #ofstsatyourgauge

patt gauge your gauge

2. If we plug in the numbers, we have:
98 = # of sts at your gauge

5 6.5

3. To solve for the unknown (# of sts at your gauge), multiply both sides by your gauge (6.5):

98x6.5 = #ofstsatyourgauge 5

4. Flip the two sides and solve for the unknown number of stitches: #ofstsatyourgauge=98x6.5 = 637.5=127.4

Because you can’t cast on partial stitches, you’d need to round up to 128 stitches
(if you wanted to work with an even number of stitches) or round down to 127 stitches (if you wanted to work with an odd number of stitches). For a short cut, simply plug in the following equation every time the pattern lists a number of stitches to determine the number of stitches to work at your gauge:

# of sts at your gauge = (# of sts in patt) x (your gauge) patt gauge

For example, if the pattern said to bind off 30 stitches at the center neck, you’d bind off 39 stitches instead.

#ofstsatyourgauge = 30x6.5 = 39 5

If you chose to work with an even number of stitches initially (128 stitches), you’d want to adjust this number to be an even number as well so that there would be the same number of stitches on each side of the neck. Keep in mind that it’s your choice whether to adjust up to 40 stitches or down to 38 stitches – the difference of a stitch won’t make a visible difference.

Technique - Waist Shaping

Take girth and length measurements and use your knitting gauge (which matches the pattern) to determine the amount and location of increases and decreases. Note that thicker fabric will stand stiffer with less drape so should have less waist shaping while drapier garments eg in fingering weight yarn can tolerate greater waist shaping.

For example: For the schematic below, the gauge is 20 stitches and 20 rows to 10cm. Therefore 1cm = 2 stitches and 2 rows.

Point 1. Bust girth. Measure 1/2 (bust girth + desired ease) to calculate the number of stitches required at front bust eg if 1/2  (bust girth + ease) = 50cm then from the gauge you know you need 100 stitches.

Point 2. Waist girth. Measure 1/2 (waist girth + desired ease) to calculate the number of stiches required at front waist eg if 1/2 (waist girth + ease) = 40cm then from the gauge you need 80 stitches.

Therefore, between the bust and the waist you need to lose 10 cm which is 20 stitches. But how does this relate to where to do the decreases? Need to look at length measurements to find the location of your waist. 

Point 3. Total length. Measure where the garment will come to on yourself and place an elastic at this position eg 60cm. This is needed to find the location of the waist.

Point 4. Finding your waist on the pattern. Get the armhole depth from the pattern eg 20cm. Measure this on yourself as the location of the base of armhole. Measure the distance between an elastic at your waist to this base of armhole position in cm and convert this to rows. eg if bust to waist is 20cm your waist is 40 rows below the base of armhole.

Point 5. On your body, measure the distance from your waist to the hem elastic eg if waist to hem is 20cm your waist is 40 rows above the hem.

So for this example, the waist shaping ends up being a decrease of 20 stitches over 40 rows from the base of armhole to the waist, and an increase of 20 stitches over 40 rows from the waist to the hem.

But you never decrease then immediately increase, there is always some plain knitting in between ie a band of plain at the waist. The same at the bottom of a longer garment, there is a band of plain knitting at the hem. So it may end up that of that 40 rows between the hem and the waist there are only 20 rows where you want to do the decreasing. eg a total of 10cm waist shaping (5cm each side) =  20 stitches over eg 20 rows. ie 2 stitches per row, every other row.

Instead of doing increases and decreases, eg in Fair Isle which would be difficult, you could just use a smaller and larger needle size. Note that this changes the fabric.

Technique - Short Rows

 

how to work yarnover short rows

In stockinette stitch

On the right side, knit to the point where the short row begins. Turn work.

With the wrong side now facing, bring yarn to the back between needles and purl the next stitch so that yarn travels up and over the RH needle, creating a yarnover beside the stitch just worked. You are now ready to purl back along your short row.

On the wrong side, purl to the point where the short row begins. Turn work.

With the right side now facing, bring yarn to the front between needles and knit the next stitch so that the yarn travels up and over the RH needle, creating a yarnover beside the stitch just worked. You are now ready to knit back along your short row. Continue working short rows as specified in your pattern.

After completing your short rows, each yarnover made at a turn is decreased with the stitch that follows the gap created by the turn.

  

On the right side, knit to the yarnover, then k2tog the yarnover with the stitch after gap. Repeat for each yarnover as you work to the end of the row.

 

On the wrong side, purl to the yarnover, then ssp the yarnover with the stitch after gap. Repeat for each yarnover as you work to the end of the row. 

Working in a stitch pattern

For both right side and wrong side rows, continuing in stitch pattern when possible, work to the point where the short row begins. Turn work.

If the first stitch is a knit stitch, a brk, or a sl 1 or sl1yo that resembles the V of a knit stitch, bring yarn to the front between needles, then work the stitch, forming the yarnover beside it.

If the first stitch is a purl stitch, a brp, or a sl 1 or sl1yo that resembles the ridge of a purl stitch, bring yarn to the back between needles, then work the stitch, forming the yarnover beside it.

After completing your short rows, each yarnover is decreased with the stitch that follows the gap created by the turn. The decrease used to close the gaps will make these short rows invisible on the right side, regardless of whether they are knit stitches or purls.

On the right side, work each yarnover together with the stitch after gap, using k2tog if a knit stitch or p2tog if a purl.

On the wrong side, work each yarnover together with the stitch after gap, using ssk if a knit stitch or ssp if a purl.

German Short Rows

The steps

1. (Right side) Work to the stitch specified in your pattern
2. Turn the work so the wrong side is facing
3. (Wrong side) Slip the stitch from the left needle to the right needle purlwise with yarn in front
4. Pull the yarn to the back of the work over top of the right needle. This will distort the stitch, making it look as if there are 2 stitches instead of 1.
5. Bring the yarn to the front between the needles to begin purling, or leave at the back if the next stitch is knit
6. Keeping a tighter tension than usual for the first few stitches work to the stitch specified in your pattern
7. Turn the work so the right side is facing
8. (Right side) Bring the yarn to the front between the needles
9. Slip the stitch from the left needle to the right needle purlwise with the yarn in front
10. Pull the yarn to the back of the work over top of the right needle. This will distort the stitch making it look as if there are 2 stitches instead of 1.

Picking up the turned/doubled stitches:

1. Work to the doubled stitch
2. Work the the doubled stitch as if it were one (like a knit 2 together, or purl 2 together, depending on the stitch)

Substituting German Short Rows for wrap & turn instructions:

When substituting German short rows for a classic wrap & turn (w&t) you just want to remember that a wrapped stitch in the w&t version is the same as the ‘turned’ or ‘doubled’ stitch in German short rows.

An example:

Instruction: knit to 3 sts before wrapped st, w&t

What you want to do for German short rows is to knit to 3 sts before the last turned stitch, work 1 more stitch and turn your work etc.

Pattern Review - Marja Jumper for Me

DESIGN: Very loose fitting jumper by Japanese designer Junko ???. The jumper has a very wide neckline.

GAUGE: The recommended gauge is 24 stitches and 36 rows to 10cm. My gauge was 25 stitches and 38 rows to 10cm.

Therefore, 1 stitch of the recommended gauge is 0.42cm wide (one of mine is 0.40cm) and 1 row of the recommended gauge is 0.28cm high (one of mine is 0.26cm). 

Over a circumference of 200 stitches my jumper would be 4cm (1.75") smaller (0.02 difference x 200 stitches) and for a length of 50cm my jumper would be 3.6cm shorter.

I could go up 0.25mm in needle size and see if that gives me the correct gauge but I don't want the fabric to be any looser -  even on 3.5mm needles the fabric feels quite loose. I therefore chose to go up a size and make size M-L which had 7 ½" of bust ease but really only 5 3/4" after allowing for the gauge difference (the S-M has 3 ½" ease before the gauge difference).

As I was planning to make the jumper longer anyway, I didn't account for the gauge difference in length.

SIZE: I chose the size M-L which has a finished bust measurement of 51" (5 3/4" ease after allowing for the gauge difference).

YARN: Natural Fibre Arts 4 ply, merino/yak/silk in colour Natural Grey, 100g = 366m.

ALTERATIONS:

• I chose a larger size due to my (tighter) knitting guage
• I did a provisional cast-on because I wanted to come back and modify the neckline at the end.
• I lengthened both the lower two sections by ???

Sock Measurements

 SOCK MEASUREMENTS

End of toe increases to beginning of heel increases = 3"

End of gusset to beginning of cuff rib = 5"